Holding rack



W. L. WAGNER HOLDING RACK Oct. 16, 1951 Filed March 24, 1947 H... 2 l L C 5. l B T/ Y 5 y @L .WV 5 ll Inlllllllllllllllil T A., UI lllll l|.r||.l1 |ll||| l/ 4 .M 8 2 98 2 6 O W l 44 4 l l I JJ IN VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 16, 1951 HOLDING RACK William L. Wagner, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to A. H. McConnell, Pasadena, Calif.

Application March 24, 1947, Serial N0. 736,654

This invention relates generally to racks, and relates more particularly to racks for holding various implements and the like, used in meat markets or butcher shops.

Heretofore, it has been customary to provide meat cutting blocks with a rack for knives, Cleaver, steel and the like, which is permanently attached at one side and which comprises a wooden Slat-like member having Wooden pieces for spacing the slat on the adjacent side of the block, said pieces being spaced apart longitudinally of the slat. The knives, cleaver, steel and the like, are slid into the places thus provided. Such racks have a number of disadvantages, one of which being that the arrangement is unsanitary in that it is permanently attached and is extremely diicult to clean.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a rack for various implements such as above mentioned, that is very easily cleaned and thus may be kept sanitary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that may be readily attached to the block or other support, and that is readily removable therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein there is a member having longitudinally spaced slots for reception of the blade portions or the like, of the respective implements, said member being readily removable for cleaning purposes.

Another disadvantage of prior racks is that the cutting edges of the knife blades tend to be dull when they are inserted or removed therefrom. As sharpening of the knives and other implements is expensive, it is desirable to prevent unnecessary dulling of said implements and it is therefore another object of the invention to provide a device of this character wherein the slotted implement supporting member is of rubber or a rubber-like material which will not materially dull the Ycutting edges of the knives when they are placed in the slots of said member or removed therefrom.

Still another disadvantage of prior racks is that the knife blades are exposed when supported by the rack and hence, there is danger f injury to persons who may brush against same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack wherein the knife blades are protected so that danger of injury to persons working around the block is eliminated.

In previous racks nails or brackets are provided for hanging a meat saw onto the block, and these saw supports are so placed that the 2 l saw is disposed over the implements in the rack and hence, add to the chance of the knife blades becoming dull inasmuch as said blades areapt to rub on the metal portions of the saw.

Further, prior racks are rather Weak affairs and may be easily broken when such relatively heavy implements as cleavers are placed in them.

It is therefore a still further object of the invention to provide a rack that is relatively strong in construction and not easily broken.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means for supporting a saw thereon so that said saw is separated from contact with the knife blades and the like, by a Wall.

Inasmuch as the prior racks are permanently attached to the meat cutting block, there is a distinct tendency for the user to Work mostly on one side of the block so that said side becomes worn, and it is another object of the invention to provide a device of the present character which may be readily attached to different sides of the block so that the user may work on different sides and still have the implements conveniently at hand.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the present character that is attractive in appearance, that holds the implement in position for quick and convenient use, and that is simple in construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specication.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rack embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view as seen from line l2--ll of Fig. 1, with a portion broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line`3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the device shownv installed on a meat cutting block.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,v

3 inforced lower edge. There is also an inturned flange I5 along the upper edge of said skirt. At each end of the skirt I3 there is a portion which is turned rearwardly at substantially right angles to the skirt to form end walls I6 for said body IIJ and from the inner or vertical rear edges of the walls IE are parts I'I which` are turned inwardly at approximately right angles to said walls I6 and constituting abbreviated rear walls. The

lower edge portions of the walls I6 and parts I1- are provided with inwardly turned reinforcing anges I8 and I9 respectively. The upper ends of said Walls I6 and parts I'I are similarly flanged at and 2l.

The guide II is in the shape of an elongated U lying on its side on top of the body is and is formed of a channel strip which is generally U-shaped in cross section. The guide l I includes side Walls 22 and oppositely extending inturned flanges 23, along both the top and bottom edges of said walls 22, as best shown in Fig. 3. The end wall 24 of the guide is also provided with inturned ange 25 along the upper and lower edges and the anges 23 and 25 are cut at an angle at their adjacent ends 26 to form a close tit as best shown in Fig. l. The guide Il is secured to the upper end of the body I3 by any suitable means. For example, the lower Bange 23 of one of the arms of the U-shaped guide may be spot Welded to the upper ange Iii' of the skirt at longitudinally spaced points. The lower flange 23 of the other arm of the guide is spot welded adjacent its ends to the irl-turned upper anges 2t of the part El, and the lower inturned flange 25 oi the wall 24 is spot welded to the adjacent upper flange 2i of one of the end walls I8 of the skirt. Thus, the guide is securely attached to the upper end of the skirt.

The implement holding member I2 comprises an elongated member 28 of rubber-like material, such as neoprene or a composition of neoprene, which does not bleed and which will be substantially unaffected by grease. The member 28 is slidably or telescopically received inthe guide II and may be inserted or removed from the endy of the guide opposite the wall 2d, said end being open. The member 28 is provided with a plurality of vertical openings therethrough. for reception of blades, or the like, of implements used in cutting meat, it being understood-thatthe oppositely turned flanges 23 have their inner edges suciently spaced apart so that implements may be inserted and removed from the openings in said member 23.V There is oneV opening, indicated at 30, which is of suiiicient length to receive the blade of a meat Cleaver. Gther openings, 3l, are elongated for reception oi the bladesof knives 31a, and there are a pair of round openings 32, for reception of the blade oi sharpening instru ments or steel. y y Y The end of the member 28, adjacentfthe open end of the guide, is provided with anuopening therethrough for reception` of a pin4 or screw 33 having a head 34 which rests on the upper surface of said member 28. The pin 33 extends below the lower surface oi the member 28 and is received in a notch35 in the adjacent flange 2I of the adjacent wall IE of the skirt,- thus preventing the member 28 from sliding outwardly o f the guide II. The pin 33, however, is removable and when removed the member 28 may be removed longitudinally from the guide,`as indicated in dotted lines in'Fig. 2. M

On the outer side of the skirt there are a pair of hook-like hangers 36 adjacent the ends of (ill said skirt, said hangers being spot welded as at 3'I to said skirt. The hangers 36 provide means for removably supporting a saw 39, as best shown in Fig-4. It is to be noted that the hangers 36 are at different levels although, if desired, they may be otherwise arranged. By hanging the saw 39, as shown in Fig. 4, the handle 40 thereof is disposed adjacent .one end of the rack and may be readily grasped for removal and use, and maybeV as readily replaced.

Means for attaching the rack to the side of a meat cutting block 4l is also provided. This means includes a pair of inverted keyhole slots, indicated generally at 42, in the backturned parts or abbreviated rear walls IT, adjacent the upper ends'thereoi. A pair of double headed nails 43 are. driven into the block in properly spaced relationship with respect to the keyhole slots 42. said nails being driven into the block to a point whereat the inner heads 45 abut against the outer surface of said block Side. Each nail includes an outwardly extending stem 46 terminating in a head lll which is thus spaced from the head e5. In mounting the rack the enlarged portions 48 of the keyhole slots 42 are slipped onto the heads Il?, Vand' the device isV supported by' the end walls of the reduced portions4 49 of said slots which engage the stems 46. The heads l1 of the-'nails are of suicient size with respect to the reduced portionsy 49 of the keyhole slots as to hold the rack on said nails. Thus., when the device is attached to the block, the skirtl I3 is spaced' from the adjacent side of the block, and the body Iil provides a protective covering for the blades of knives and other implements in the slots 3l and 32.

If desired, nails :i3 may also be provided on the other side of the block'so that the rack may be hung on said sides as desired. The rack may be thus rotated from one side to another so that the operator may useV different partsA of the block top and still have the knives and other implements readily at'hand. With this arrangement the different parts of the block top may be used so as to prevent undue wear of any one part.

The skirt I3 of the' rack protectsV the blades of theknives placed in said rack so that a person working at the meat block will not be accidentally cut b-y said blades, and the implement holding member I2' is of such material that the cutting edges of knife blades and the like, inserted'intov the Slots thereof, will not be nicked or dulled by engagement of the walls of said slots.-

Due to the fact that the' rack may be readily removed from the block andthe implement-holding member i2 removed from itsguide, the Various parts of the device may be thoroughly cleaned.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, comprising: a relativeiy dat; elongated, hollow body formed of sheet metal and including al front wail; lguide means extending along the topvof the body and secured thereto; and an 'implement supporting member removably receivedi in said guide, 'said' memberk havingv 'longitudinally spaced openings therein.

2. The invention defined by claim l. includ-' ing hock-like hangers 'secured to the front Wall, said hangers being spacedapart and adapted to support a saw.

3; In a device of the lclass described;- comprising a relatively flat, elongated, Vhellfavv body formed of sheet metal, said body including a front Wall, end walls, and abbreviated rear Walls extending toward each other from said end Walls; an elongated U shaped guide of sheet metal eX- tending along the upper side of said body and attached thereto, said guide being closed at one end and open at the other; and an implement supporting member slidably received in said guide, said member being of rubber and having longitudinally spaced openings therein for reception of implements.

4. The invention defined by claim 3 wherein the implement supporting member is provided with an opening adjacent the end thereof; and a pin received in said opening and extending into the body for engagement with a part thereof to retain said implement supporting member in the guide.

5. The invention dened by claim 3 wherein there are hook-like hangers secured to the front Wall of the body for supporting a saW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,323,915 Schmitt Dec. 2, 1919 1,876,284 Fried Sept. 6, 1932 1,894,258 Eastlack Jan. 17, 1933 2,122,069 Michelson June 28, 1938 2,190,567 Jung Feb. 13, 1940 

